


Juncture

by Starshot



Category: Naruto
Genre: Canon Divergence, Fix-It, Happy Ending, KakaObi Week 2019, Kakashi is an emotionally constipated little shit, M/M, Obito's birthday, Pre-Slash, but what's new
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-02-10
Updated: 2019-02-10
Packaged: 2019-10-25 12:37:03
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,420
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17725340
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Starshot/pseuds/Starshot
Summary: On Obito's thirteenth birthday, he learns even the smallest of actions can change everything.





	Juncture

The last of the day’s sunlight glints through the leaves of Konoha’s great trees, throwing long dappled shadows across the path in front of them. Obito drags his heels, trailing behind his sensei and silver-haired teammate as they meander down it in leisurely fashion.

Briefly, the other boy glances over his shoulder, expression judgemental. ‘Are you going to wear those stupid goggles in the onsen too?’

Involuntarily, Obito scowls, wishing Kakashi was anywhere but here. ‘Are _you_ going to wear that stupid mask?’ he snaps in return.

The prodigy gives him a dirty look then turns away, nose in the air, like answering is completely beneath him.

He’s always like this. And Obito _hates_ him for it.

Beside them, Minato lets out a long-suffering sigh. ‘Boys please,’ he implores uselessly, ‘This is supposed to be a treat for Obito’s birthday. Try to save the rivalry for training.’

It’s already obvious he knows that’s not going to happen.

Privately, Obito wishes Rin was here. Kakashi’s always a stuck-up asshole, but he’s less of one when she’s around.

***

They stand at the edge of the onsen and against his will Obito finds his eyes drawn to the younger boy. Kakashi’s had a growth spurt recently, beginning to fill in his lean frame and lanky limbs. He’s still small for his age, but now there’s promise of what he could be – coordination and poise, with a kind of lithe grace Obito will never have.

It’s hard not to be jealous.

Thirteen might be a milestone, but puberty is doing nothing for Obito. His voice cracks, he regularly trips over his feet, and occasionally, other _worse_ things happen. Like the other day, sparring against Kakashi, when he was left blushing, and stammering, and wishing desperately for baggier pants.

Kakashi had just called him an idiot.

_Idiot. Useless. Elite Uchiha crybaby._

Just because Kakashi’s never failed at anything in his life…

‘What are you looking at?’ his silver-haired teammate asks snidely, ‘Did you forget how to undress yourself?’

Obito scoffs and shoves him into the water.

Deftly, Kakashi catches his wrist and pulls him in too, as though to remind Obito he can’t do anything right.

***

Minato makes them apologise to the other patrons, then sits between them at the edge of the pool. ‘Now, isn’t this better?’ he asks, sinking into the water, relaxed but watchful.

Obito’s not entirely certain he agrees.

It’s vindictively satisfying to catch Kakashi off-guard for once, even if he did just get dragged in afterwards. Walking home in wet clothes is a small price to pay for that.

The idiot is _still_ wearing his mask, and it annoys Obito so much he wants to rip it right off Kakashi’s stupid face. He bets it’s only there to hide some horrible imperfection.

Like buck teeth. Or weirdly shaped lips. Or maybe a giant mole.

That idea makes him laugh out loud.

Kakashi glares at him.

It would be nice to know he’s not as perfect as he seems.

***

It wasn’t always like this between them.

When they first met - before Kakashi’s father died – Obito had actually liked him. Sure he was a bit superior and stuck up, but without the fixation on perfection and following the rules, it was tolerable. He’d even thought maybe they could be friends.

But afterward…

He was nigh on impossible. Judgemental and dismissive. Scathing in his criticism of his uncoordinated teammate no matter how hard Obito tried. And the older they got, the worse Kakashi became.

It pushed Obito toward Rin.

She was Kakashi’s polar opposite in every way – always ready with a smile, and kind words of encouragement, praising Obito even when he failed. Supporting his dream to become Hokage when everyone else laughed.

So naturally, he found himself drawn to her. First as a friend, then as… something more.

Over time, he’d become accustomed to the unsteady flutter in his stomach, the warmth that filled his chest whenever he looked at her. It was familiar. Comforting in its consistency, even though he knew she didn’t feel the same way about him. After all, any idiot could see how she looked at Kakashi.

Regardless, it made him happy just to have her around. Which was why the last few months had been so confusing.

Because now, the feelings Obito had always got when he looked at her, seemed to be happening when he looked at somebody else instead.

A boy.

And he didn’t have the first clue what to do about it.

***

A fine spray of water flicks across Obito’s face and he glances up. Kakashi’s looking at him expectantly, which gives him the sudden sinking feeling he might have missed something important.

‘What?’ he snaps, sharper than he means to.

Kakashi rolls his eyes, expression never shifting beyond its usual detached indifference. ‘Never mind.’

He pulls himself halfway out of the onsen, resting an arm lazily along the pool’s edge. Water races down his chest, sluicing in rivulets that trace the lines of barely-there muscles, bunched unevenly to match the angled jut of his hips.

Obito swallows roughly, heat rushing to his cheeks.

If Kakashi notices as much he doesn’t say anything though, and jaw tight, Obito looks away, hoping the colour on his face is interpreted as nothing more than a side-effect of the onsen’s temperature. Tightly, he clenches a fist under the water’s surface.

_Just… Screw this._

Whatever _this_ was.

***

It had started during training.

A sparring match between him and Kakashi that went the usual way – ending with Obito on his back, pinned beneath the younger boy. Only this time, Obito had noticed that up close, the storm-grey of Kakashi’s eyes was actually flecked with tiny slivers of silver, the same shade as his hair.

It was very pretty.

After that he’d he started noticing other things too. Like the elegant lines of the prodigy’s face. And the way he was so carefully meticulous about everything he did – both infuriating and captivating at the same time.

And within only a few short weeks, Obito had realised no matter how much he didn’t want it - didn’t want to feel this way about stupid Bakakashi, with his superior attitude, and his frustratingly attractive and perfect… _everything_ – he couldn’t stop it either. It was like his body had just developed a mind of its own.

So he hid stolen glances even as he yelled his insults louder. Sought Kakashi’s acknowledgment, at the same time as rejecting his attention.

He might like Kakashi, but he didn’t have to _like_ Kakashi.

It made things between them worse than ever before.

***

‘I didn’t get you anything because you’d be too useless to know what to do with it,’ Kakashi says like it’s purely observation, not incredibly condescending.

‘Kakashi!’ Minato rebukes.

‘What? It’s true Sensei. He is useless.’

And Obito shouldn’t care, he _shouldn’t_ , because it’s only everything the clan has always called him. But what they think has never mattered to him, whereas Kakashi on the other hand…

Obito clenches his teeth, nails digging sharply into fisted palms. ‘Baka! Come over here and I’ll show you who’s useless!’

Kakashi folds his arms, giving Obito a frosty look, like he expected as much. ‘You’ll lose.’

Unable to contain the growl that tears itself from his throat, Obito leaps at him.

In a flash worthy of his name, Minato appears between them, holding them firmly apart. ‘Alright boys, I think we’ve had enough for one day, don’t you?’

Obito disagrees of course. But there’s no arguing with Minato-sensei.

***

The sun has just set as they walk the road back to Konoha, winding through brooding ancient trees that line the way, mute guardians of the village’s secrets.

Arriving at Minato’s turn-off, the jounin lets out a quiet sigh, eyeing his wards seriously. ‘Kushina’s expecting me home soon,’ he says, like it’s an apology.

Obito nods silently, and beside him he sees Kakashi do the same. It’s not like either of them need an escort home after all. They’re both chuunin - qualified shinobi - more than capable of taking care of themselves. And Obito’s even heard rumours Kakashi might be more than that, soon. Though who would think it’s a good idea to promote that idiot, he doesn’t know.

But Minato still seems unconvinced. ‘Just… be nice to each other,’ he says hesitantly. ‘You’re a team. Never forget that.’

Worst team Obito’s ever been on, he thinks sourly, glancing at Kakashi’s stupid judgemental face.

But neither of them are willing to argue with sensei, so – taking their silence for acceptance – he departs, leaving them alone in the gathering gloam.

For a time both of them walk silently, side by side, lost in their own thoughts. Then out of the blue, Kakashi speaks.

‘I did actually get you something,’ he says, voice abnormally soft as he reaches into the pouch at his back. From it he produces a small wooden box which he holds out to Obito, eyes glancing everywhere but at him.

Immediately Obito’s suspicious. Is this another trick designed to make him look stupid? It’s not as though Kakashi hasn’t tried similar things before. But something about his manner does seem off this time. It’s furtive, uneasy, as though he’s genuinely uncomfortable with the situation.

Hesitantly, Obito accepts the box. It’s heavier than it appears, and clinks softly as he turns it over in his hands, uncertain how to react.

‘Open it,’ Kakashi encourages.

Reluctant, and half expecting to be assaulted by some new sort of fuuinjutsu, Obito flips open the lid. The inside is lined with velvet, and nestled within it is a stack of viciously sharp looking shuriken.

Wait… These are for _him_? Hiding his surprise, he withdraws one and tests its heft – lightweight and perfectly balanced.

‘Well?’ Kakashi asks expectantly.

Obito gapes at the shuriken, then back to him. ‘Why didn’t you just give them to me earlier?’ he asks.

It’s probably not be the right thing to say, but he’s struggling to think of anything that is right now. These shuriken are better than any he’s ever owned and must have cost Kakashi a small fortune.

The other boy gives him a calculating look. ‘I didn’t want you to accidently kill anyone with them,’ he says.

Obito clenches his teeth. Honestly he could just hit Kakashi for that. Why does he always have to be so… _himself_? Doing something nice then just ruining it. Making it as much an insult as an acknowledgement.

Although… even Kakashi can’t entirely hide the sentiment behind the gesture. He got Obito a present, and that means he _cares_.

Obito _loves_ him for it.

Before he has time to think – to stop himself – he’s thrown his arms around Kakashi’s shoulders in an awkward, not-quite hug. The younger boy stiffens immediately and Obito realises what he’s done. But it’s too late to back out now. Resolute, he holds on, wondering if Kakashi might actually kill him for this.

But much to his surprise, after what feels like the longest second in eternity, Kakashi softens slightly under his embrace. There’s still a hint of wary tension to his frame that betrays uncertainty, but it’s more than offset by the way his arm creeps tentatively behind Obito’s back. It hangs there without applying pressure, but that’s still enough to communicate a kind of mute acceptance on his part.

 _Kami_ … He’s hugging _Hatake Kakashi_. And it’s actually _nice_.

Blushing at the thought, and suddenly very aware of their proximity, Obito lets go, glad for the dusk to hide his face. The stammer to his words is still painfully obvious though. ‘I um… thanks Kakashi.’

The other boy watches him, expression still unreadable, although Obito could almost swear from the slant of his jaw there’s a smile under that mask.

Suddenly, it feels like something incommunicable has changed between them.

Then Kakashi takes it upon himself to ruin the moment.

‘Of course I’ll have to teach you how to use them,’ he declares, air of superiority back with a vengeance. ‘You’ll just screw it up otherwise.’

Obito is sorely tempted to hit him for real this time.

But there’s less heat to his words than there might have been before, and somehow Obito can’t quite bring himself to rise to the jab. Instead he looks again at the box of shuriken in his hands, mouth tugging irresistibly upward, overcome by the sense that maybe Kakashi isn’t actually so bad. That maybe - just _maybe_ – the two of them can work together after all.

A team.

He grins brightly. ‘You’re on.’

***

_‘Obito wait, don’t chase them!’_

_There’s a hand on his shoulder and Obito halts, fists clenched, looking back at Kakashi. ‘But we have to go get Rin!’_

_The younger boy watches him, eyes dark and serious, and Obito can almost hear the response on his lips. That it’s against mission rules, and shinobi who don’t follow the rules are trash. That they should leave her to her fate. And already Obito can feel his anger rising, preparing to argue the point, because as far as he’s concerned it’s not up for debate. They’re not leaving a teammate behind._

_So the next statement to leave Kakashi’s lips catches him completely off-guard._

_‘I know.’_

_Obito stares at him in disbelief. ‘Wait, you’re not going to argue? What about the rules?’_

_Kakashi looks down, expression troubled, like he’s fighting an internal battle with himself. Eventually he swallows. ‘I think this might be one of those situations Minato-sensei was talking about. Where we have to adapt. I won’t leave a teammate behind.’_

_Obito could positively kiss him for the sentiment. Although he really wishes his brain would stop thinking about that possibility quite so much recently._

_Instead he just nods at Kakashi, face set determinedly. ‘Alright. What’s the plan team leader?’_

***

Three teenagers return to Konoha from Kannabi Bridge that day; none the worse for wear, but with a new story to tell.

Sharingan finally active, it’s much easier for Obito to match Kakashi when they spar - best him even, sometimes. Together, they become a force to reckoned with. Yet somehow, the older they get, the less important it seems who wins and who loses. After all, there are other ways to settle disagreements.

Shinobi flexibility and the sharingan come in handy for that too.

And in those quiet moments late at night, when Kakashi asks him what changed - when he _knew_ \- Obito always says the same thing.  

That it all came back to the moment when they stood at a juncture in the road, and chose to walk it together.


End file.
